Orientador: Elvira Gabriela Ciacco da Silva Dias / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T11:03:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Oliveira_CaueNascimentode_M.pdf: 3646130 bytes, checksum: 732105bee70d3293ec3b7068547652e0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Mestrado / Saneamento e Ambiente / Mestre em Engenharia Civil

Using a range of satellite-derived indices I describe. monitor and predict vegetation conditions that exist in the Great Fish River Valley, Eastern Cape. The heterogeneous nature of the area necessitates that the mapping of vegetation classes be accomplished using a combination of a supervised approach, an unsupervised approach and the use of a Moving Standard Deviation Index (MSDI). Nine vegetation classes are identified and mapped at an accuracy of 84%. The vegetation classes are strongly related to land-use and the communal areas demonstrate a reduction in palatable species and a shift towards dominance by a single species. Nature reserves and commercial rangeland are by contrast dominated by good condition vegetation types. The Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (MSA VI) is used to map the vegetation production in the study area. The influence of soil reflectance is reduced using this index. The MSA VI proves to be a good predictor of vegetation condition in the higher rainfall areas but not in the more semi-arid regions. The MSA VI has a significant relationship to rainfall but no absolute relationship to biomass. However, a stratification approach (on the basis of vegetation type) reveals that the MSA VI exhibits relationships to biomass in vegetation types occurring in the higher rainfall areas and consisting of a large cover of shrubs. A technique based on an index which describes landscape spatial variability is presented to assist in the interpretation of landscape condition. The research outlines a method for degradation assessment which overcomes many of the problems associated with cost and repeatability. Indices that attempt to provide a correlation with net primary productivity, e.g. NDVI, do not consider changes in the quality of net primary productivity. Landscape variability represents a measure of ecosystem change in the landscape that underlies the degradation process. The hypothesis is that healthy/undisturbed/stable landscapes tend to be less variable and homogenous than their degraded heterogenous counterparts. The Moving Standard Deviation Index (MSDI) is calculated by performing a 3 x 3 moving standard deviation window across Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) band 3. The result is a sensitive indicator of landscape condition which is not affected by moisture availability and vegetation type. The MSDI shows a significant negative relationship to NDVI confirming its relationship to condition. The cross-classification of MSDI with NDVI allows the identification of invasive woody weeds which exhibit strong photosynthetic signals and would therefore be categorised as good condition using NDVI. Other ecosystems are investigated to determine the relationship between NDVI and MSDI. Where increase in NDVI is disturbance-induced (such as the Kalahari Desert) the relationship is positive. Where high NDVI values are indicative of good condition rangeland (such as the Fish River Valley) the relationship is negative. The MSDI therefore always exhibits a significant positive relationship to degradation irrespective of the relationship of NDVI to condition in the ecosystem.

A major problem emanating from the trade/environment conflict is the use of trade measures, such as restrictions and sanctions, as tools for environmental protection. Proponents of free trade argue that the use of these measures is tantamount to abuse of environmental standards for protectionist ends. This is particularly so if the imposition of the standard amounts to a unilateral act which blocks the entry of a specified product into the market of another member state for reasons other than environmental protection. Environmentalists at the same time argue that free trade will lead to environmental degradation and therefore advocate for the use of trade-restrictive measures to safeguard against the destruction of the environment. The GATT has proved problematic when it comes to the resolution of trade/environment conflicts. The GATT aims at trade liberalisation yet most environmental policies are enforced through trade-restrictive devices like quotas and licences. Article XX of the GATT is anomalous: it does not explicitly mention the environment, yet member states rely on it as an environmental protection clause. This thesis discusses the various issues emanating from the trade/environmental debate. The history of Article XX is reviewed and the issues that arise in the adjudication of Articles XX (b) and (g) in a trade/environment context are analysed in light of the decisions by the GATTIWTO dispute settlement bodies. The role played by Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) in protecting the environment is discussed. However, the relationship between MEAs and the WTO is also scrutinised as these rule-making bodies often come into conflict: firstly, because they serve two differing interests - on the one hand, MEAs allow for the use of trade restrictive measures in environmental agreements and on the other, the WTO calls for unrestricted trade unless exceptional circumstances exist; and secondly, member states that are party to both the WTO and MEAs are often forced to subscribe to international trade rules that are incompatible with those in environmental agreements. The trade/environmental debate is important to both the developed and developing worlds. The developed world is in favour of environmental policies which protect the environment from degradation. On the other hand, the developing world is in desperate need of the benefits of trade liberalisation so as to cater for high unemployment rates and poor economic growth. The question thus arises as to whether, when environmental issues are promoted, developing countries will not suffer at the expense of developed nations which may engage in protectionist measures under the pretext of environmental conservation. The divide between developed and developing countries is illustrated in Chapter 5 through case studies on coal mining in the USA and South Africa. The conclusion reached is that total co-operation is essential between developed and developing states for success in safeguarding the environment from degradation. Accordingly, the trade/environmental debate cannot be isolated from the conflicting approaches in developed and developing countries. The conclusions in the final chapter seek to strike a balance between trade liberalisation and environmental protection. Recommendations are made on how the trade/environmental challenges could be dealt with and the regulation of trade restrictive devices to exclude, or at least limit, protectionism.

This thesis argues that Christian doctrine does not condone environmental destruction (as many believe); rather, Christian doctrine promotes care for the Earth and supports a number of norms which are consistent with the requirements of sustainable development and useful for planning for sustainable development. Discussion begins with an explanation of the importance of norms and beliefs in planning, and proceeds to outline common criticisms of Christian norms and beliefs respecting the environment. These criticisms are considered valid to the extent that blame is placed on destructive practices which often characterize ill-formed social expressions of Christian norms and beliefs; however, these criticisms may be groundless in terms of a good understanding of Christian doctrine. This point provides a basis for examining Christian doctrine more closely, to see whether or not it condones destruction of the ecosphere. Christian doctrine, logical argument, and a review of relevant literature are used to respond to the above mentioned criticisms. Analysis shows that Christian doctrine provides a basis for caring for the Earth and that one should not dismiss Christianity because of misguided attitudes and actions of professed Christians. Nine ecological norms are derived from Christian doctrine. These norms are shown to be consistent with the requirements of sustainable development, and the findings of non-Christian scholars. Usefulness of these norms is demonstrated through a case-study evaluation of the ecological sustainability of Canada's Green Plan (GP). Applying Christian norms to the GP shows that the GP endorses some important environmental initiatives but is rooted in norms and beliefs which contradict each other and are inconsistent with the requirements of sustainable development. Christian norms therefore prove to be helpful in pointing out weaknesses in the GP. Coupled with the facts that Christian theology does not promote environmental destruction, and that Christian norms enjoy the support of non-Christian scholars, the conclusion is that Christianity has been overly criticized respecting the environment and that Christian norms can and should be used to plan for sustainable development. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

Os rios, enquanto produtos da interação entre os agentes internos e externos da Terra, são elementos da paisagem em constante mutação ao longo do tempo e do espaço, sujeitos aos fenômenos da erosão e da sedimentação (assoreamento). Contudo, o homem ao interagir de forma negligente com o meio, no caso, os diferentes cursos de água, intensifica o processo natural de degradação ambiental. Estes impactos variam de lugar para lugar, em função de diferentes fatores, dentre eles o clima, o tipo de solo, resistência geomecânica dos materiais, condições geomorfológicas e estruturais da drenagem, entre outros. Por conta disto, este trabalho propõe um sistema de avaliação geoambiental para rios, cuja aplicação ocorreu em um curso d´água de segunda ordem, localizado na porção noroeste do Estado de Estado de São Paulo, com área de 7,81 \'KM POT.2\'. O desenvolvimento deste sistema deu-se a partir da compartimentação de sete grupos distintos (Climático, geomorfológico, geológico, hidráulico, físico-químico para água e sedimentos, biológico e uso e ocupação, contendo 33 parâmetros). A atribuição dos pesos teve como base, o potencial que uma determinada variável tem em contribuir no processo degradação ambiental, vista isoladamente mas integrada ao sistema classificatório em questão. No caso de existir limites apoiados pela comunidade científica, os mesmo foram adotados, embora a forma de apresentação dos mesmos foi adaptada à lógica adotada nesta tese. Vale ressaltar que o limite atribuído para cada variável apresentou valores distintos, onde o menor valor foi atribuído, como sendo peso 1 (muito estável) e máximo de peso 9 (muito instável), onde quanto menor a pontuação, melhor a classificação. Após a definição dos pesos, foram delimitados cinco intervalos de classes distintos, cujos valores das classificação - natural, alterado e degradado - partiram do somatório de todas variáveis agrupadas por pontuação (natural = peso < 5; alterado = peso 5-7; degradado = peso > 8). Intermediariamente a estas classes, foram definidas as subclasses cujos valores estivessem entre os limites atribuídos pelas classes (levemente alterado = 84 - 141 pontos e muito alterado = 194 - 234 pontos. Os resultados apresentados pelo conjunto de dados expostos separadamente foram satisfatórios, pois permitiram compreender a correlação entre as condições geoambientais e a participação destas no processo de degradação ambiental, onde conclui-se que o Córrego das Cruzes possui características que o torna susceptível à erosão, especialmente no que diz respeito as condições pedológicas e geotécnicas, ademais que a constituição topográfica (morfologia da drenagem) por meio da inclinação das vertentes propicia processos erosivos como tombamento, erosão marginal e feições lineares (erosão linear, ravinas e voçorocas). As diferentes abordagens relacionadas à análise ambiental (técnicas investigativas em geociências), , podem ser empregadas, embora possuam limitações entre si como a comparação do objeto de estudo apontando os agentes causadores do processo de degradação do ambiente. No caso em questão, trata-se de um córrego localizado no interior do Estado de São Paulo que padece de problemas diversos. Através do sistema de avaliação proposto e da comparação dos resultados obtidos pelo mesmo, com técnicas investigativas vigentes, conclui-se que: 1) Apesar da difusão destas técnicas no meio acadêmico e técnico, as mesmas mostraram-se ineficientes para inserir o fator social como agente causador de perturbações ambientais, já que o homem/sociedade exerce um agressivo papel como deflagrador ou facilitador da degradação ambiental nos diversos ambientes/ecossistemas; 2) na abordagem feita pelos parâmetros morfométricos, a mesma tem um papel extremamente físico do ambiente fluvial, sendo adequado seu emprego no caso de um determinado curso dágua sofrer influência dos elementos geomorfológicos e geológicos, e; 3) a cartografia temática de cunho geológico-geotécnico é uma importante ferramenta avaliativa, embora seja um pouco limitada por questões que transcendem ao arcabouço teórico e geológico-geotécnico, seja ele baseado em dados de campo e/ou investigados por meio de ensaios laboratoriais. Neste sentido, o uso combinado destas técnicas, como o sistema de avaliação em foco, teve um papel importante para corroborar os dados do meio físico e demais variáveis expostas. O Sistema de Avaliação Geoambiental mostrou-se flexível quanto às diferentes combinações de problemas de natureza sócio-econômico-ambiental, apesar de ter um significativo número de variáveis que permitem descobrir ou mesmo apontar o(s) agente(s) transformador(es) do meio; pelo menos nas variáveis que comumente ocorrem; apesar de que as ações caóticas não tenham sido colocadas neste sistema, a fim de não dificultar a aplicação por parte de pessoas de outras áreas da ciência, no caso destas utilizarem esta ferramenta. Devido ao fato deste sistema ser de cunho quali-quantitativo, o conjunto de parâmetros aqui proposto, seguido de suas variáveis, facilita comparar rios de natureza distintas, como se fossem uma forma de \"check list\". Os documentos cartográficos foram realizados em estaca distinta, visando expor os dados levantados de forma global (1:10.000) e de detalhe (1: 2.500), conforme a técnica de detalhamento progressivo. / The rivers, as products of interaction between internal and external earth agents are landscape elements constantly changing during the time, and they are subject to the erosion and sedimentation (siltation) phenomena. However, the mankind negligently when interacting with the environment, in this case, the different streams, it enhances the natural process of environmental degradation. These impacts vary from place to place, depending on different factors, including climate, soil type, strength of materials geomechanics, structural and geomorphological conditions of drainage, etc. Due to these factors, the present PHD Thesis proposed a system of geoenvironmental assessment for rivers, to make this task more simple, where it was tested on stream of 1st order, located in the northwestern portion of the State of São Paulo, with 7,81 \'KM POT.2\' of area. This system was partitioned on seven distinct groups (climatic, geomorphological, geological, hydraulic, physical-chemical water and sediment, biological, and use and occupancy) totalizing 33 parameters. The assignment of weights based on the potential that a particular variable contributes to the erosion or correlated with this environmental problem. It is noteworthy that the limit was adopted for each variable from 1 (very stable) to 10 (very unstable). After the scores definition, five distinct classes intervals were limited, which values of classifications: natural, modified and degraded, came from sum of all variable grouped by punctuation (natural = score <5; modified = score 5-7; degraded = score >8). Between these classification, two subclasses were defined (slightly altered = 84-141 points e very altered = 194-234 points. The results presented by the set of data were satisfactory. It was because of their ability of understanding geo-environmental features and their participation on the environmental degradation process. It was concluded that the stream in focus has aspects that present it high susceptibility to erosion, especially regarding soil and geotechnical conditions, not to mention that the constitution topographic (drainage morphology) by means of the inclination of the slopes and tipping provides erosion, bank erosion and the linear (linear erosion, ravines and gullies). The different approaches related to environmental analysis (geosciences investigation techniques), although they have limitations between them, they could be employed, besides the difficult of comparison to different rivers and hability to indicate the main degradation agents, in this case, a stream located within the State of Sao Paulo/Brazil that has serious environmental problems. Through the proposed evaluation system and comparison of obtained results by some of existing investigation techniques, it concluded that: 1) Despite the spread of these techniques in the academic and technical environment, they proved to be inefficient to insert the social factor as causative an environmental perturbations agent, since man / society plays an aggressive role as a trigger off or facilitator of environmental degradation in different ecosystems; 2) the approach taken by the morphometric parameters, it plays a physical perspective of river environment and its use is more appropriated for water course under influence of geomorphologic and geological elements, and 3) the thematic mapping of geotechnical focus is an important evaluative tool, although it is somewhat limited by issues that transcend geological and geotechnical field, even if it is based on field data and / or tested on laboratorial analysis. In this direction, the combination of different tools, as a system of evaluation focus, played an important role to corroborate the data of the physical environment with the other variables exposed. The Geoenvironmental Evaluation System proved to be flexible about different combinations of socio-economic and environmental problems, although a significant number of variables that allows you to find out agent(s) modifiers of environment, at least the most usual variables that occur, although chaotic actions have not been placed on this system, in order not to hamper the implementation by people from other areas of science, if they try to apply this technique. Due the nature of the proposition technique (qualitative and quantitative tool), the set of parameters proposed here and followed by its variables, facilitate to compare rivers of different nature, like a form of \"check list\". Cartographic documents were made on different scales to express data survey on global aspects (1:10.000) and detailed (1: 2.500), according to the Progressive Detailing Technique.

The development of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) has been undoubtedly the most critical advancement in materials technology for modern gas turbine engines. TBCs are widely used in gas turbine engines for both power-generation and propulsion applications. Metallic oxidation-resistant coatings (ORCs) are also widely employed as a stand-alone protective coating or bond coat for TBCs in many high-temperature applications. Among the widely studied durability issues in these high-temperature protective coatings, one critical challenge that received greater attention in recent years is their resistance to high-temperature degradation due to corrosive deposits arising from fuel impurities and CMAS (calcium-magnesium-alumino-silicate) sand deposits from air ingestion. The presence of vanadium, sulfur, phosphorus, sodium and calcium impurities in alternative fuels warrants a clear understanding of high-temperature materials degradation for the development of fuel-flexible gas turbine engines. Degradation due to CMAS is a critical problem for gas turbine components operating in a dust-laden environment. In this study, high-temperature degradation due to aggressive deposits such as V2O5, P2O5, Na2SO4, NaVO3, CaSO4 and a laboratory-synthesized CMAS sand for free-standing air plasma sprayed (APS) yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), the topcoat of the TBC system, and APS CoNiCrAlY, the bond coat of the TBC system or a stand-alone ORC, is examined. Phase transformations and microstructural development were examined by using x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. This study demonstrated that the V2O5 melt degrades the APS YSZ through the formation of ZrV2O7 and YVO4 at temperatures below 747°C and above 747°C, respectively. Formation of YVO4 leads to the depletion of the Y2O3 stabilizer and the deleterious transformation of the YSZ to the monoclinic ZrO2 phase. The investigation on the YSZ degradation by Na2SO4 and a Na2SO4 + V2O5 mixture (50-50 mol. %) demonstrated that Na2SO4 itself did not degrade the YSZ, however, in the presence of V2O5, Na2SO4 formed vanadates such as NaVO3 that degraded the YSZ through YVO4 formation at temperature as low as 700°C. The APS YSZ was found to react with the P2O5 melt by forming ZrP2O7 at all temperatures. This interaction led to the depletion of ZrO2 in the YSZ (i.e., enrichment of Y2O3 in t' -YSZ) and promoted the formation of the fluorite-cubic ZrO2 phase. Above 1250°C, CMAS deposits were observed to readily infiltrate and significantly dissolve the YSZ coating via thermochemical interactions. Upon cooling, zirconia reprecipitated with a spherical morphology and a composition that depended on the local melt chemistry. The molten CMAS attack destabilized the YSZ through the detrimental phase transformation (t - > t - > f + m). Free standing APS CoNiCrAlY was also prone to degradation by corrosive molten deposits. The V2O5 melt degraded the APS CoNiCrAlY through various reactions involving acidic dissolution of the protective oxide scale, which yielded substitutional-solid solution vanadates such as (Co,Ni)3(VO4)2 and (Cr,Al)VO4. The molten P2O5, on the other hand, was found to consume the bond coat constituents significantly via reactions that formed both Ni/Co rich phosphates and Cr/Al rich phosphates. Sulfate deposits such as Na2SO4, when tested in encapsulation, damaged the CoNiCrAlY by Type I acidic fluxing hot corrosion mechanisms at 1000°C that resulted in accelerated oxidation and sulfidation. The formation of a protective continuous Al2O3 oxide scale by preoxidation treatment significantly delayed the hot corrosion of CoNiCrAlY by sulfates. However, CoNiCrAlY in both as-sprayed and preoxidized condition suffered a significant damage by CaSO4 deposits via a basic fluxing mechanism that yielded CaCrO4 and CaAl2O4. The CMAS melt also dissolved the protective Al2O3 oxide scale developed on CoNiCrAlY by forming anorthite platelets and spinel oxides. Based on the detailed investigation on degradation of the APS YSZ and CoNiCrAlY by various corrosive deposits, an experimental attempt was carried out to mitigate the melt-induced deposit attack. Experimental results from this study demonstrate, for the first time, that an oxide overlay produced by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) can effectively perform as an environmental barrier overlay for APS TBCs. The EPD protective overlay has a uniform and easily-controllable thickness, uniformly distributed closed pores and tailored chemistry. The EPD Al2O3 and MgO overlays were successful in protecting the APS YSZ TBCs against CMAS attack and hot corrosion attack (e.g., sulfate and vanadate), respectively. Furnace thermal cyclic oxidation testing of overlay-modified TBCs on bond-coated superalloy also demonstrated the good adhesive durability of the EPD Al2O3 overlay.

Thesis (LLM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / Section 24 of the constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 guarantees a right to a healthy and safe environment. It provides for the environment which is beneficial, conducive and productive to the community. However, this right is being violated on a daily basis by the mining companies which degrade the environment through their activities or operations within the mining communities by violating the legal regulations aimed at restoration, rehabilitation, management and prevention of degradation to the environment. Therefore this mini-dissertation advocate for stringent enforcement of the laws aimed at prevention of environmental degradation and further compels mining companies to comply with existing laws. It calls for the minister not to hesitate to revoke the mining licences or withdrawal of the mining permits of any erring mining companies. It utilises the jurisprudence from China and Australia as comparative study in order to draw relevant lessons from their approaches

"With the Earth in Mind" responds to some of the most cutting-edge research in the field of ecocriticism, which centers on ecological loss and the grief that ensues. Ecocritics argue that ecological objects of loss abound--for instance, species are disappearing and landscapes are becoming increasingly compromised--and yet, such loss is often deemed "ungrievable." While humans regularly grieve human losses, we understand very little about how to genuinely grieve the loss of nonhuman being, natural environments, and ecological processes. My dissertation calls attention to our society's tendency to participate in superficial nature-nostalgia, rather than active and engaged environmental mourning, and ultimately activism. Herein, I investigate how an array of postwar and contemporary American novels represent a complex relationship between environmental degradation and mental illness. Literature, I suggest, is crucial to investigations of this problem because it can reveal the human consequences of ecological loss in a way that is unavailable to political, philosophical, scientific, and even psychological discourse.

No description available.

Environmental stresses arising from temperature and moisture changes, and/or other aggressive fluid ingressions can degrade the mechanical properties of the adhesive, as well as the integrity of an adhesive interface with a substrate. Therefore such disruptions can significantly reduce the lifetime and durability of an adhesive joint.1-4 In this research, the durability of certain epoxy adhesive joints and coatings were characterized using a fracture mechanics approach and also by constant frequency impedance spectroscopy. The shaft-loaded blister test (SLBT) was utilized to measure the strain energy release rate (G) or adhesive fracture energy of a pressure sensitive adhesive tape. In this study, support for the value of the SLBT fracture mechanics approach was obtained. The SLBT was then used to investigate the effects of relative humidity on a model epoxy bonded to silicon oxide. Lastly, the effects of water and temperature on the adhesion of a commercial filled epoxy bonded to silicon oxide was characterized and interpreted. A novel impedance sensor for investigating adhesion was developed in a collaborative effort between Virginia Tech and Hewlett-Packard. Utilizing the technique of constant frequency impedance spectroscopy, the distribution and transport of fluids at the interface of adhesive joints was measured. A broad spectrum of adhesives was tested. In addition, the effects of hygroscopic cycling on the durability of adhesive coatings were measured for the commercial filled epoxy using the device. Lastly, recommended modifications of the experimental set-up with the new sensor are proposed to improve the technique. / Ph. D.